Catfish Report-May 31 1999
The catfishing continues to improve all around the lake. More and more fish are being taken in shallow water which indicates the beginning of their spawning cycle.
Bob Higgins of Limit Out Bait and Tackle in Clearlake Oaks reports a lot of fish being taken in shallow water using crawdads and night crawlers under a bobber in 5 to 8 feet of water. The hot spots in the Oaks area have been around Rattlesnake Island and in the Keys.
Al Frietas of Don's Bait and Tackle in Clearlake rates the catfishing as "phenomenal". The hot spots have been Cache Creek and most of the Clearlake shoreline both from boats and from the shore. The top baits have been crawdads, mackerel and crawlers. Al suggests using the crawdads and crawlers with a bobber and the mackerel on the bottom. Al also recommends fishing from 1:00AM to 6:00AM for the most action. Most of the fish have been running from 7 to 10 pounds with quite a few 16 to 18 pounders being weighed in.
Ed Ott of Ed's Market in Nice (707-274-8029) reports a lot of channel cats being caught from the Nice/Lucerne shoreline and in Rodman Slough with crawdads, crawlers and clams.
If your fishing in the Nice/Lucerne or Lakeport area, I suggest finding an area with rocks or heavy brush in 4 to 8 feet of water and using a crawdad or nightcrawler under a bobber. If you don't get bit in a half hour or so move to another likely looking spot and continue this pattern until you find the fish. I recommend fishing from about 4:00AM until 8:30 or 9:00AM especially on the weekends when the pleasure boaters are out in force later in the day. (Don't you just love the PWCs?) Good Fishin......Catfish Ed.
As of 11:00AM this morning the lake level is at 6.52 feet above Rumsey.
Catfish Report-May 28 1999
The great weather has brought out more fishermen and they are catching more catfish.
Al Frietas of Don's Bait and Tackle in Clearlake reports many heavy stringers of channel cats ranging from 8 to 12 pounds per fish being brought in from the Clearlake shoreline and in Cache Creek. Night time and real early in the morning has been the most productive. Crawlers, minnows and crawdads have been the top baits.
Bob Higgins of Limit Out Bait and Tackle in Clearlake Oaks reports good catches of channel cats from 6 to 13 pounds with crawdads and night crawlers in the Clearlake Oaks Keys and from the lakeside of M & M Campgrounds.
Ed Ott of Ed's Market in Nice (707-274-8029) weighed in several channel cats from 7 to 12 pounds that were taken at the mouth of Rodman Slough with live crawdads. There are quite a few cats being taken all along the Nice/Lucerne shoreline with clams, minnows and crawdads.
All baitshops are reporting good to very good crappie and bluegill fishing with minnows, worms and mini-jigs around docks and brush.
As of 9:00AM this morning the lake level is at 6.65 feet above Rumsey.
Catfish Report-May 21 1999
The catfishing is still very good especially in the south end of the lake. The warmer water is bringing some of the cats in shallow to begin their spawning cycle.
Terry Knight of the Lake County Record Bee reports good catches in the Nice/Lucerne area and at Library Park in Lakeport. The top baits are crawlers and mackerel.
Kim Frietas of Don's Bait and Tackle in Clearlake reports excellent catfishing in the Cache Creek area and along the shoreline in Clearlake. She lists the top baits as crawdads, jumbo minnows and crawlers with mackerel and clams also a good bet.
A few cats are starting to show up around Holiday Harbor in Nice. Believe it or not the top producers in the harbor are hot dogs and cheese. Mike Meirs of Nice caught a 5 pound channel cat on a cheese ball off my deck in the harbor. That's all I have till next time ......Good Fishin.......Catfish Ed.
As of 10:00AM this morning the lake level is at 6.91 feet above Rumsey.
Clear Lake Catfish Report-May 17 1999
The catfishing is getting better all the time. Some really good stringers have come out of the mouth of Cache Creek and in the Clearlake Oaks area. The breezes have limited the open lake fishing somewhat but the sheltered spots have been doing very well.
Bob Higgins of Limit Out Bait and Tackle in Clearlake Oaks (707-998-1006) reports good fishing in the Keys and behind Rattlesnake Island. There were two local catfish derbies this weekend and both contests produced good results. One group had 30 catfish for 17 entrants to 19 1/2 pounds and the other group had 10 participants for 30 fish, coincidentally also to 19 1/2 pounds. Most fish were taken on clams and chicken liver with some of the bigger cats falling for live water dogs.
Al Frietas of Don's Bait and Tackle in Clearlake also reports a lot of whiskerfish action in his area. One boat with two anglers aboard had 15 channel cats including two 12 pounders, one 16 and a 19 1/2 pounder. Another boat had 12 nice cats to 14 pounds. The hot baits were jumbo minnows and cut mackerel fillets.
Ed Ott of Ed's Market in Nice reports a few fish hitting clams and chicken liver in the Nice/Lucerne area off the shore and from docks.
There haven't been many boats out in the north end of the lake so it's hard to gauge the fishing but it should break open in the next couple of weeks assuming we get some decent weather.
Good Fishin..........Catfish Ed.
As of 10:00AM this morning the lake level is at 7.05 feet above Rumsey.
Clear Lake Catfish Report-May 14 1999
The same situation applies to the catfishing, fish the sheltered areas and you have a good chance of connecting with some whiskerfish.
Bob Higgins of Limit Out Bait and Tackle has a very encouraging report. The Keys have been giving up quite a few quality channel cats. Ken Morrison of Clearlake Oaks caught a 27 pound 8 ounce monster on nightcrawlers and a 13 and 14 pounder on clams off his dock in the Keys. There have been a lot of 13 to 15 pounders and a 17 pounder taken with clams and minnows also in the Clearlake Oaks Keys.
In the north end of the lake, Rodman Slough and the State Park have been giving up a few nice channel catfish. If and when the wind lays down for a few days, the fish will start to move in to the tules and rocks in the main lake to begin their spawning ritual. That's all folks......Good Fishin.....Catfish Ed.
As of 10:00AM this morning the lake level is at 7.13 feet above Rumsey.
Clear Lake Catfish Report-May 10 1999
Catfishing is really taking off both from shore and drift fishing in open water.
Al Frietas of Don's Bait and Tackle in Clearlake reports almost everybody is catching at least a couple of 6 to 10 pound channel catfish for their effort. There are several hot spots around the lake including, Cache Creek and Redbud Park area in the south end and the State Park in the north end. The top baits have been cut baits such as shad, mackerel and anchovies and for still fishing, clams have been the best bet. The State Park has been the top spot for drift fishing.
Well that about covers it until Friday....Good Fishin....Catfish Ed.
As of 10:00AM this morning the lake level is at 7.30 feet above Rumsey.
Clear Lake Catfish Report-May 7 1999
Catfishing continues to improve in the south end of the lake, especially in Cache Creek.
Al Frietas of Don's Bait and Tackle in Clearlake reports a consistent bite of 10 to 13 pound channel cats in Cache Creek. The top baits are live jumbo or extra large minnows and cut bait, especially shad. There are a few cats being taken at and near Redbud Park, also on minnows and cut bait.
In the north end of the lake there still aren't many catfishermen out there. There are a few decent cats coming out of Rodman Slough and along the Nice/Lucerne Shoreline. Ed Ott of Ed's Market in Nice (707-274-8029) weighed in a 22 pound channel catfish on Tuesday that was taken off the shore in Nice...Good Fishin.... Catfish Ed.
As of 10:00AM this morning the lake level is at 7.42 feet above Rumsey.
Clear Lake Catfish Report-May 3 1999
The windy weekend really took it's toll on the catfishermen. There were very few catfishermen on the lake this weekend due to the windy conditions.
The only report that I could get is from Al Frietas of Don's Bait and Tackle in Clearlake. He reports a few quality channel cats in the 10 to 15 pound range being taken with cut bait and crawlers off shore in the Clearlake area.
It's the same old story, the fish are out there but the weather just won't cooperate. I'm not going to try anymore predictions as to when the fishing will break open, we will just have to wait it out......Good Fishin....Catfish Ed.
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